A 1994 graduate of North Carolina, Derrick Phelps joined King Rice's staff as an assistant coach with the Hawks. Entering his fourth season in the collegiate ranks, the 1993 National Champion and 1994 UNC Team MVP, was the video coordinator at Fordham University during the 2010-11 season.

Phelps, a Queens, N.Y. native, played professionally overseas for 12 seasons, most recently with Gaz Metan Medias in the Romanian League in 2009-10.

"Derrick is another enthusiastic coach with a high basketball IQ," added Rice. "He won a national championship alongside Reese at UNC, as a point guard, and we are excited to bring his wealth of experience and knowledge as a player, to the coaching side of things."

A graduate of Christ the King High School in Middle Village, Queens, Phelps led the 1989 team to the New York State Championship and was named to the 1990 McDonald's All-American Team as a senior. In the All-American game, the point guard played with future North Carolina teammates Eric Montross, Reese and Clifford Rozier. Phelps was also named to the 1990 Kodak Metropolitan High School All-Star team.

Following his high school career, Phelps also played for Hall of Fame head coach Dean Smith from 1990-94, where he graduated with two school records: most steals in a single game (9) and most career steals (247). He earned Second Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honors as a senior in 1994 and Honorable Mention All-ACC accolades as a junior. Phelps, who also ranks fifth in school history with 637 assists, was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American in 1994 and was named to the USBWA All-District Team and the NABC All-District Second Team.

The first of only three North Carolina players to ever earn the team's most outstanding defensive player award (Carmicheal Cobb Award) three times (Brendan Haywood and Marcus Ginyard), Phelps was tabbed the team MVP as a senior as well. Phelps was also a member of the 1993 squad that won the NCAA National Championship, defeating Michigan in the title game. He was also on the 1991 UNC team that won the ACC Championship and advanced to the Final Four.

The only player in ACC history with 600 assists, 400 rebounds and 200 steals, Phelps was drafted No. 6 in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) Draft by the Chicago Rockers in 1994. During his tenure with the Rockers, he signed for the remainder of the season with the Sacramento Kings, and was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1995 expansion draft. He also spent time in the preseason with the Milwaukee Bucks (1994) and Philadelphia 76ers (1995).

His first stint overseas was in 1996 with TSK in Bamberg, Germany, before returning home to play for the Rockford Lightning (CBA). Phelps moved on to Telekom Baskets Bomm from 1998-2000 (Germany), and competed in the Korac Cup. In 2000-02, he played for Alba Berlin in the Euroleague where he was selected as the league MVP in 2001. In 2002-03, Phelps played with CSP Limoges (France), before playing in Poland (2003), Germany (2004), the Netherlands (04-05), back in Germany in 2005-06, Russia (06-07) and Romania (2009-10).

In 2007, Phelps started his coaching career by serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Christ the King, and was a player-coach with Clubul Sportiv "Gaz Metan" Medias in Romania.